


Competitive Dating

by Sodding_Malfoy (Leafyleaf)



Series: Star Trek Bingo 2020 [5]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Best Friends, Dating, Ferengi, Gen, Misogyny, Pre-Slash, or just friendship if you want, pre nog/jake sisko - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:40:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26199469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leafyleaf/pseuds/Sodding_Malfoy
Summary: Jake and Nog are in competition, and the rules are simple: whoever gets a date first, wins. Nog knows that he is going to win - it's a shame nobody else seems to have got the memo.For the 2020 star Trek Bingo, filling the prompt "First Date."
Relationships: Nog & Jake Sisko, Nog/Jake Sisko
Series: Star Trek Bingo 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1885774
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26
Collections: Star Trek Bingo Summer 2020





	Competitive Dating

“Uncle Quark said the freighter would arrive in five of your Earth minutes. Are you ready?”

“Nog, I was _born_ ready.”

“Right. Good.” Nog nodded with determination, and the satisfaction of plans well made. “You might think you have an advantage because these females are all hew-mon, but I’m going to beat you fair and square. As Commander Sisko says, I’ll be giving you a ‘run for your money.’ And you know how serious I am about money…”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Jake rolled his eyes. The boys were sitting in the cargo bay behind a few barrels of Bajoran moba juice. Even though they were best friends, they thrived on competition as a way to not only prove themselves, but to get things done. The task today was simple: to get a date with a girl. 

The freighter would only be there for a day, just long enough to be repaired, before it continued on its mission. The boys would have to act fast. Nog already knew where he was going to take his date, all he needed was someone to say yes. He’d sharpened his teeth just that morning and had washed his ears extra thoroughly just in case the date went EXTREMELY well – he knew that humans didn’t often find themselves attracted to Ferengi, but he was determined to be an exception. He’d even borrowed his father’s favourite headdress, that he’d worn when seducing Nog’s mother. Nog assumed he would have better luck than to pick a mate like her. Unless Jake had some particularly nefarious tricks up his sleeve, nothing could go wrong.

He snapped his head up, hearing voices outside as people began to gather at the airlock. 

“Come on,” he said, “I think it’s here.”

“Okay, but play nice. No stealing each other’s dates. And no getting in each other’s way.”

Nog laughed. “Don’t be silly! I don’t need to do anything like that. Just you wait and see.”

Jake looked worried, but Nog took him by the hand and pulled him out of the room anyway. He’d be fine once he got started.

The passengers of the freighter were filing into the room, chattering amongst themselves. A human girl, blonde haired and in a blue summer dress, stood still in the middle of the room. She seemed very out of place. Truthfully, she wasn’t quite Nog’s type, but she would do – especially if it meant beating Jake. He smiled at his best friend to make sure he was looking, then approached her.

“Who are you looking for?” he asked, trying to make himself seem older by lowering his voice. “Are you lost?”

She rolled her eyes and scoffed, rising to her tiptoes so that she could more easily see over his head while she looked around. “Look, you might as well leave me alone. I don’t have any money.”

“Neither do I,” Nog said, patting his pockets to show they were empty. “I don’t often let that stop me.”

“Right.”

“I’m Nog,” he said, offering her his hand to shake, and beaming as widely as he could.

She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him. “What do you want, Ferengi? Are you ever going to leave me alone?”

“W-well,” he faltered, “I was just being friendly…”

“Well I don’t _want_ to be friends with you, so you can forget it. I’m sure there are guys on this station that don’t eat bugs, don’t look like an art project gone wrong, and are taller than a ten-year-old. So go back to your business meeting, or whatever it is that you do, and leave me alone. Got it?”

He swallowed. “I – ”

“Honestly, did you think I’d want anything to do with you?” She bit out.” You’re pathetic.” The girl stepped to the side, waving to another girl who was just stepping through the doors, and her friend waved back. She walked away without even looking back at him.

Nog’s hand was still in out in front of him, waiting for the handshake that obviously wasn’t going to come. He swallowed, his mouth dry, and then wheeled around and walked back to Jake.

His best friend’s brow was furrowed in concern. “What happened? That didn’t look like it went well…”

“It’s fine,” Nog shrugged, smiling to stop his lips from wobbling. “She’s just a tough one, that’s all. I think she’s playing hard to get.”

“Okay, if you’re sure…”

Nog forced himself to laugh. “Of course, I’m sure. Do you hew-mons know nothing at all about dating?”

“Not really,” Jake shrugged. “Not me, anyway. I’ve never really been on one.”

Nog shook his head slowly, then clapped him on the shoulder. “Oh, you poor boy. When you’ve been with as many females as I have, it’s as easy as cheating at cards.”

“Wait,” Jake looked at him accusingly, “you’ve been cheating?”

“Of course, I have! Now, you get in there and start talking to people. I’ve got somewhere to be, okay?”

“But Nog, I thought we were – ”

“Relax, Jake. I have to do something for Uncle Quark,” he lied, “just get a head start, you’ll need it.”

~*~

Jake sighed as he watched his friend go. Unsurprisingly, he wasn’t very interested in the competition anymore. He’d only been doing it for Nog’s benefit in the first place. The likelihood of ever seeing these people again was quite slim, so he wasn’t too bothered about getting to know them, let alone date them.

He hadn’t been close enough to Nog and the girl to hear what they’d been talking about, but it didn’t stop him from guessing the gist of it. He’d watched Nog’s shoulders fall under the weight of the human girl’s glare, and he’d seen the hatred in her eyes as she’d bared her teeth. Whatever she’d said was definitely nothing that should be repeated in polite company. 

No matter how unbothered Nog had pretended to be, Jake knew his best friend too well. He would be replaying the incident over and over in his head, wondering what he’d done wrong, and beating himself up over it. It was the Ferengi way. 

Jake sighed.

“Hey, are you alright?”

“What? Me?”

A Bajoran girl stood in front of him, her hands clasped coyly behind her back and her cheeks flushed red. “Yes, you. What are you doing over here all alone?”

“Oh, nothing. Sorry. I’m fine.” Jake hadn’t even noticed her come over, too busy watching the doors for a sign of Nog coming back. 

The girl bit her lip. “You know, I don’t know many people here. I’d love it if we could be friends. My name’s Ayal.”

“That sounds nice,” Jake said absently.

“So…” She looked him expectantly. “Do you want to show me around the station?”

Jake watched as the doors stayed firmly shut. Nog was probably never coming back. He turned to Ayal. “Listen, I’m really sorry, but I have to go. It was nice talking to you!”

“Oh,” her face fell. “No, I’m the one that should be sorry. I didn’t realise you were already seeing someone. I shouldn’t have assumed…”

“No that’s not it, I just… never mind. If you ever come back to the station, I’ll make it up to you, alright?”

“That sounds good.”

He smiled at her and then quickly moved aside, walking with purpose towards the exit.

“Wait!” He heard from behind him. “I didn’t catch your name!”

The doors whooshed closed.

~*~

Nog heard the beep of the door intercom, and he ignored it. He was laying face down on his bed, willing himself to sink into the mattress and disappear for good. It would be a couple of hours before his dad was off duty, and he wanted to have crumbled away into nothingness before he got back. 

The intercom beeped again. “Nog, are you in there? It’s me.”

He groaned. Couldn’t Jake just leave him alone? Stupid Jake and his stupid hew-mon face and his stupid hew-mon body. Shouldn’t he be off seducing all of those shallow, dim-witted females in the docking bay?

“Go away,” he groaned.

Jake called through the door again. “Come on, Nog, it’s no fun without you. None of these girls are even pretty anyway. Can we just say you win?”

“What?” Nog blinked in surprise. “You couldn’t get a date?”

“No, not one.”

The door slid open, and Nog sat up.

“I’m nowhere near as good as you,” Jake continued as he walked into the room. “They’re all way too mean.”

Nog smiled weakly. “They’re not all like that. I don’t think so, anyway. Major Kira and Lieutenant Dax are really nice.”

“Maybe it’s an age thing,” Jake shrugged. 

“Maybe.”

Jake sat down on the edge of the bed, and Nog hurriedly wiped at his cheeks before he could notice he’d been crying. If Jake couldn’t find a date either, then that made him feel a hundred times better. It could be just two best friends against the world, like it had been since they’d met and had to lie to both of their fathers just to hang out. 

“Where were you thinking of taking your date, anyway?” Jake asked.

Nog shrugged. “Just a tour around the station. I thought maybe I could find my dad while he was repairing something for the captain, and impress her with how clever my family is. Then I’d take her to the bar, to meet Uncle Quark. There’s no way that wouldn’t win her over – that bar could be all mine one day!”

“Really? You’d just take her to meet your family?” One of Jakes eyebrows quirked up. “That’s sweet, but aren’t first dates all about having fun, and getting to know each other?”

Nog raised his shoulders defensively. “Oh, yeah? Then what were _you_ gonna do?”

“Take her to a holosuite, of course. We could go white-water rafting, and then I was thinking of going to the Replimat afterwards, where we could try each other’s favourite foods.”

“That does sound fun,” Nog admitted quietly. “I’ve never actually been on a date before, you know.”

“I figured.”

Nog sighed. “It’s just a shame we can’t do it now.”

“What do you mean? Why can’t we?”

He looked as Jake as though he’d grown a third arm from his nose. “Could you imagine? You, in the Replimat all alone, and me sitting by myself ordering snail juice from Uncle Quark? Where’s the fun in that?”

“You’re right, that would be boring,” Jake said, “but that’s not what I meant. I thought we could do it together.”

“What? Us two, on a date?” Nog said incredulously. 

Jake shrugged. “If you want. Or it could be just like we always do things, as best friends.”

“Maybe. I don’t know.” Nog scratched nervously at his chin.

“Well,” Jake said, rising to his feet. “I’ve got a reservation booked for the holosuite in 15 minutes, and I’m not gonna let it go to waste. If you don’t wanna come, that’s fine by me.”

Nog watched him walk slowly over to the door. “Wait!” he shouted, a little bit louder than was necessary. “I’m coming!”

Jake laughed. “I thought you would.”

Nog leapt up, all trace of sadness gone from his mind. He couldn’t quite remember what he’d been upset about, anyway.


End file.
